tickle me tartare

 

No cooking, baking or kitchen needed to enjoy this fresh for summer dish. Steak tartare is the perfect appetizer for dinner parties or as a date night dare on the back porch with a bottle of wine. Trey and I enjoyed this simple, yet sophisticated supper with toasted rosemary potato bread, onions from my garden and all topped with a farm-fresh egg. If you like your meat pink, then tickle me tartare.

Steak Tartare

1 lb. high quality beef, diced

1 Tbsp. grapeseed oil

2 Tbsps. parsley, minced

1 sweet bulb onion, minced

1 clove of garlic, minced

Taste of salt

Taste of pepper

1 farm-fresh egg, yolk only

1. Freeze meat for 10-20 minutes to make the meat easier to chop.

2. Combine all ingredients, except egg. Use both hands or a shaper to form the shape of a ball.

3. Finish with yolk of egg in the center. Enjoy with toasted bread or crackers.

*Optional: Add capers as garnish.

 

supporting side dishes

Filet mignon, a salmon steak and a perfectly roasted chicken often get all the attention. It’s time to share the stoplight with these supporting side dishes that will make your guests ask for more. These recipes feature a perfect party appetizer, side dish and a ramekin dessert that guests can serve up individually and talk about long after the party is over.

Lillyan’s Whipped Goat Cheese with Heirloom Tomatoes

4 Tbsp. heavy cream
4 oz. goat cheese
Baguette, sliced
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Heirloom tomatoes, sliced
2 Tbsp. green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1. In an electric mixer, whip together heavy cream and goat cheese.

2. Brush 4 Tbsp. of EVOO on baguette slices and toast in the oven until golden. Remove from oven and let cool.

3. Spread whipped goat cheese on each toasted baguette slice and add tomato slices. Drizzle 2 Tbsp. of EVOO and balsamic vinegar. Finish with salt, pepper and green onions.

Red Quinoa with Roasted Pistachios and Parsley

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 c quinoa, preferably red, rinsed well in a fine-mesh sieve
1 1/2 c low-sodium chicken broth or water
1/4 c unsalted, shelled raw pistachios, chopped
3 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add quinoa and cook, stirring frequently, until quinoa starts to toast and smell nutty, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.

2. Stir in quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently until quinoa is tender, 25-30 minutes (15 if using white quinoa). Remove pan from heat, fluff quinoa with a fork. Cover; let stand for 5 minutes.

3. Fold pistachios, parsley, and mint into quinoa. Season with salt and pepper

Recipe from bonappetit.com.

Honey-Lemon Custard with Fruit

2 c heavy cream
4 Tbsp. honey, divided
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3 2-inch strips lemon peel
6 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, divided
1/4 c light rum
1 c berries or sliced mango

1. Place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Heat cream, 2 Tbsp. honey, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until just beginning to simmer. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Add lemon peel; remove from heat. Let steep for 5 minutes (cream should register about 160° on an instant-read thermometer). Remove vanilla bean and peel. Gently stir in 5 Tbsp. lemon juice.

2. Divide custard among ramekins and chill to let set for at least 1 hour or, covered, up to 1 day.

3. Whisk remaining 2 Tbsp. honey and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice with rum in a small bowl. Stir in fruit; let sit until juicy, about 1 hour. Serve with custard.
Recipe from bonappetit.com.

cruising the greek isles

With the ocean blue rooftops, sunlight dancing off of rolling waves and endless bottles of wine, guests of the 16^th Annual Rockport Festival of Wine and Foods are transported to the island of Santorini to benefit theTexas Maritime Museum. In the midst of the wine tasting tables and cuisine booths, the annual Rockport Chef Cook-off has begun. Chef Adrian from HEB, defends his 2011 title and whips up another win with his fantastic chef creations. This year, Adrian features a seafood twist on the tradition bruschetta appetizer, a mixture of cultures with a basil, cilantro and avocado entrée and a simple dessert trick that will have you licking the EVOO from your lips. So grab a glass of Agiorghitiko, fire up the stovetop and get ready to yell, “Opa!” because it is time to bring the Greek Isles to your tabletop.

Shrimp Artichoke Bruschetta over Baguette

By HEB, The Cooking Connection

4 Roma Tomatoes, diced
1 can Artichoke hearts, diced
½ C EVOO
½ lb. cooked shrimp, deveined
1 tsp. roasted garlic
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 baguette

Combine first seven ingredients and serve over baguette. Drizzle with extra EVOO for a flavor boost.

MexItalian Basil Cilantro and Avocado Pesto over Angel Hair Pasta

By HEB, The Cooking Connection

½ C Parmesan
1 garlic clove
4 oz. pine nuts
½ C EVOO
½ cilantro
1 avocado
1 lemon, juice only
4 oz. fresh basil leaves
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 lb. cooking shrimp, deveined

Blend Parmesan, nuts and garlic in food processor. Add EVOO, basil, cilantro, avocado and lemon juice. Season to taste. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside. Heat skillet on medium heat, add 2 Tbsp EVOO and toss pesto, shrimp and pasta together. Ready to eat with a drizzle of EVOO.

Appetizer or Dessert?

For dessert, Chef Adrian scooped a cup of vanilla ice cream, sprinkled sliced almonds on top and instead of a chocolate syrup, he drizzled a Tbsp of EVOO. That might sound like a weird combination of an appetizer staple with an American past time, but the olive oil transformed the store bought ice cream into a soft, velvet sweetness. Try it with your next bowl and you will never purchase the guilt-calorie chocolate syrup again.